Matrix registration folder



Aug. 11, 1959 s. D. AYDLETT MATRIX REGISTRATION FOLDER Filed March 29, 1955 7 Guy D. Aydletl INVENTOR.

Patented Aug. 11, 1959 MATRIX REGISTRATION FOLDER Guy D. Aydlett, Rochester, N.Y., assignor to Eastman Kodak Company, Rochester, N.Y., a corporation of New Jersey Application March 29, 1955, Serial No. 497,655

3 Claims. (Cl. 95-73) The present invention relates to photographic printing and more particularly to a folder for positioning and retaining printing materials in place during the printing operation.

The present invention has as its principal object the provision of a folder to position and hold materials to be printed.

Yet another object of the invention is the provision of a folder which may be readily and easily connected to existing printers.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a folder which does not interfere with the ready and quick insertion of the printing materials.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a folder of the class described, one member of which has a dual movement.

And yet another object of the invention is the provision of a folder which is simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture, easy to use and highly'effective in its results.

To these and other ends the inventive idea resides in certain improvements and combinations of parts, all as Will be hereinafter more fully described, the novel features being pointed out in the claims at the end of the specification.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view through a photographic printer, of the contact type, showing the relation thereto of the registration folder constructed in accordance with the present invention, the platen of the printer and the folder both being in open position;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but with the platen and folder in closed position; and

Fig. 3 is a side elevation view of the folder detached from the printer.

Similar reference numerals throughout the various views indicate the same parts.

Figs. 1 and 2 show a vertical cross-section of a portion of a printer of the contact type provided with a box or body portion 11 the top 12 of which is provided with an aperture 13 in which is positioned a glass or other lighttransmitting plate or sheet 14. Lamps or other suitable illuminating means 15 are positioned within the portion 11 and below the plate 14 to illuminate the latter. A hinged cover 16 is pivotally connected at 17 to the body 11 for movement to and from plate 14. The under side of the cover 16 has positioned thereon a platen 18 which is connected to cover 16 by means of coil springs 19. The showing of this particular printer is for illustrative purposes only as it forms no part of the present invention. Other suitable printers could be used.

A matrix registration folder, generally indicated by the numeral 22, is adapted to receive sheets 23 and 24 to be used in printing. The sheets may, for example, be a negative and a positive, or any other pair of sheets to be printed in a definite relation. These sheets are of well known structure and do not form a part of the present invention. The folder is formed from a sheet or web of material which is folded at its mid-point 25 to provide a pair of overlying sheets 26 and 27. The lower sheet 27 is placed flat on the plate 14 and has a free edge 28 thereof engaged by a clip 29 carried by the body 11. The sheet 27 is in a fiat overlying position over the glass plate 14. As the light rays from lamps 15 must pass through sheet 27, at least the latter of the folder must be of a light-transmitting nature. However, the entire folder may be made from a single sheet of light-transmitting material, such as a transparent plastic, so that both sheets 26 and 27 will be light transmitting.

It will be apparent from the above description and inspection of Figs. 1 and 2, that the lower sheet 27 is anchored in place on the plate 14 by means of clip 29. When the platen is in its open position, Fig. 1, sheet 26 extends upward from the fold line 25 in a bowed or curved relation toward the upper end 30 of the platen 18. The upper or free end of sheet 26 has formed thereon a channel shaped portion 32 which is slipped over the end 30 of the platen 18, as shown in Fig. 1. This arrangement connects sheet 26 in floating relation on platen 18. Now, when the platen 18 is lowered toward plate 14, sheet 26 will move downward as a unit with platen 18. During this movement the bowed sheet will engage the printing materials 23 and 24 with a wiping action to move the materials into intimate contact, the advantages of which are deemed apparent. Also, as the sheet 26 moves into contact with materials 23 and 24, the sheet will also move or slide slightly to the left relative to and in the plane of the platen 18. Finally, when the latter has been moved to its bottom position, the channel portion 32 will have moved slightly to the left relative to the platen so as to be spaced slightly therefrom, as shown at 33. This dual movement of the sheet 23 provides the desired wiping action to assure the desired intimate contact between the members 23 and 24.

It will be apparent from the drawings that the fold point 25 provides, in efiect, a hinge connection about which the sheet 26 moves relative to sheet 27. When the printing members 23 and 24 are positioned in the folder 22, they are moved to the right until the edges 34 of the members 23 and 24 finally engage the inner surface 35 of the fold 25 which limits further rightward movement of the members 23 and 24. Thus, the hinge provides a limiting stop which effectively positions the members 23 and 24 not only relative to the folder 22 but relative to each other. The members 23 and 24 may be in the position shown in Fig. 1 when the parts are in open position. Now, as the platen 18 is lowered, the initial movement of the platen causes the portions or areas 36 and 37 of the sheets 26 and 27, respectively, adjacent the fold line 25 to grip members 23 and 24 adjacent the positioned edges 34 to grip and hold the members 23 and 24 in adjusted position within the folder. Thus, the folder 22 positions the members 23 and 24 by means of the stop or limiting surfaces 35, and then grips and holds the positioned members by means of areas 36 and 37. As the lowering of the platen is continued, the bowed upper sheet 26 engages the member 24 in a wiping action to move member 24 into intimate contact with member 23, as is deemed apparent. As mentioned above, sheet 26 also moves slightly to the left during this downward movement. In order to provide this dual movement of sheet 26 the latter is floatably connected to the platen member 18, as above described.

Thus, the folder of the present invention both positions the printing members relative to the folder and to each other, and also maintains the positioning of the members. The upper folded sheet 26 is connected floatably to the platen 18 so as to have a dual movement, one with the platen toward and away from the other sheet,

and the other movement relative to the platen and substantially in the plane thereof. The folder is simple, inexpensive, easy to use, and highly effective in its results.

While one embodiment of the invention has been disclosed, it is to be understood that the inventive idea may be carried out in a number of ways. This application, therefore, is not to be limited to the precise details described, but is intended to cover all the variations and modifications thereof falling within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A matrix registration folder in combination with a printer having a printing surface and a movable platen between which said folder is positioned, said folder com prising a strip of material folded upon itself to provide a pair of overlying sheets adapted to receive therebetween members to be printed, at least the sheet overlying said surface being light transmitting, a hinge between said shcets at said fold loosely positioned on said surface both to position said members relative to said folder and to pinch edges of said members to retain the latter in position in said folder, means to connect detachably to said surface the sheet overlying the latter, and means to connect detachably the other sheet slidably to said platen.

2. A matrix registration folder in combination with a printer having a fiat printing surface and a swinging platen movable to and from cooperating relation with said surface, said folder comprising a strip of a light-transmitting material folded at its mid-point to provide a pair of overlying members, one of said sheets overlying said surface and in flat relation thereon, means for anchoring the free edge of said one sheet opposite said mid-point to said surface, means to attach the free edge of the other sheet opposite said midpoint loosely and fioatably to said platen for movement as a unit therewith to and from said one sheet to close and open said folder upon movement of said platen, and also for movement relative to said platen, said other sheet extended in bowed relation from said mid-point to said attaching means, said mid-point providing a hinge about which said sheets move, a stop at said hinge engageable by materials arranged between said sheets to limit movement of said sheets toward said hinge to position said materials between said sheets, and areas on said sheets adjacent said hinge adapted to grip said materials adjacent said edges during the initial movement of said other sheet toward said one sheet to prevent movement of said materials relative to said sheets to maintain the positioned relation of saidmaterials in said folder.

3. A matrix registration folder in combination with a printer having a flat printing surface and a swinging platen movable to and from cooperating relation with said surface, said folder comprising a strip of a light transparent material folded at its mid-point to provide a pair of overlying sheets, one of said sheets overlying said surface and in flat relation thereon, means for anchoring the free edge of said one sheet opposite said midpoint to said surface, means to attach the free end of said other sheet fioatably to said platen for movement as a unit therewith toward and away from said one sheet and for movement relative to the platen and substantially in the plane of the latter, said other sheet extending in bowed relation from said mid-point to said attaching means, said mid-point providing a hinge about which said sheets move, a stop at said hinge engageable by materials ar ranged between said sheets to limit movement of said materials toward said hinge to position said materials between said sheets, and areas on said sheets adjacent said hinge adapted to grip said materials adjacent said edges during the initial movement of said other sheet toward said one sheet to prevent movement of said materials relative to said sheets to maintain the positioned relation of said materials in said folder.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 844,135 Jungkind Feb. 12, 1907 2,421,150 Jacobson May 27, 1947 2,535,145 Langdon Dec. 26, 1950 2,774,289 Collins Dec. 18, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 571,617 Germany Mar. 3, 1933 693,002 Germany June 29, 1940 

